Is this really a Game?!

It happened the day he and Mia arrived back from their challenge.

The only people that had arrived before them were Wolf and Laura. With Greenie present as well, the five of them had gathered in the living room to relax.

They ate good food, had some drinks, and talked late into the night. In fact, it got really late, and after some time, Greenie left, already a bit groggy and sleepy.

Wolf and Laura left next, both of them already tipsy and not wanting to continue drinking. They said good night and went to their respective rooms while Mia and Reign continued drinking in the living room.

It was, in hindsight, a mistake.

They had already drank quite a bit, and should have stopped when the others did as well, but for some reason, they didn't.

Mia, for one, was drinking a bit more than everybody else and wasn't willing to simply stop. As for Reign, he merely took it as her being happy that their challenge was finished and that they were back.

But as the night wore on, the alcohol loosened their inhibitions, and Mia started questioning Reign about what went on in his room with Seraphina and Nayle.

She was quite adamant about it, not believing what they had said when they woke up, nor about what Reign had said when he came to breakfast.

Still, Reign kept his mouth shut, unwilling to say anything. Jared and Aethion helped as well, keeping him conscious enough to know that if he did confirm Mia's suspicions, it wouldn't end well.

And yet, Reign did not expect for Mia to be as adamant and overbearing as she was about the entire thing.

She got closer and closer to Reign, continuing to question him, looking him straight in his eyes and not breaking contact at all.

After a while, without either of them even noticing, they stopped talking completely. They just … stared at one another.

Slowly, the two inched closer to one another, as for Aethion and Jared, the two were suddenly silent, not telling Reign a thing and just letting things continue.

Before long, Reign and Mia's faces were mere millimeters away from one another.

A breeze was blowing from an open window of the living room, moving Mia's hair, some of it getting on Reign's head, and yet he had no reaction to it at all, he was completely focused on Mia, just as she was on him.

He could feel the warmth of her breath, a soft caress against his skin, each exhale a whispered promise of intimacy. She smelled amazing, so captivating, in fact, that not even the faint hint of alcohol could mask its allure.

Her eyes were pools of liquid warmth, reflecting the flickering candlelight with a mesmerizing glow. Long, dark lashes framed them like delicate curtains, accentuating their depth and intensity. Her face, bathed in the soft glow of the candlelight, was a masterpiece of beauty and grace. Every feature was perfect, from the gentle curve of her lips to the delicate slope of her nose.

That was what Reign clearly remembered from that night, even after weeks had passed, that memory was entrenched in his mind.

And then, the two got even closer to one another, their lips parting as they kissed.

It was a slow kiss, one that made it seem as if time itself had stopped around them.

As their lips met, a rush of emotions flooded Reign's mind. It was a mix of desire, confusion, and guilt. He knew this was wrong, that he shouldn't be doing this, but in that moment, he couldn't resist the pull of Mia's lips against his own.

The kiss deepened, becoming more passionate as if both of them were trying to convey something through it. Reign's hands found their way to Mia's waist, pulling her closer to him, while Mia's hands tangled in his hair, holding him close.

But as quickly as it had started, the kiss ended. Reign pulled away, his breathing heavy, his mind racing. He looked into Mia's eyes, seeing a mix of emotions mirrored in them.

"I... I can't do this," Reign whispered, his voice filled with regret.

Mia nodded, a sad smile on her lips. "I know," she replied softly.

Neither one spoke after that, they just continued staring at one another before they both moved again, pulling one another closer and kissing again.

This time, it was just one kiss, one touch of their lips that connected and stayed that way for what seemed like an eternity for the two.

As they broke apart, Mia took a step back, her eyes searching Reign's face for any sign of regret or hesitation. But Reign's expression was unreadable, his emotions hidden behind a mask of calmness.

And then, the two widened their eyes as the sound of a door opening was heard.

They quickly moved, Mia getting away from Reign and sitting on a nearby sofa as Reign quickly grabbed a glass of beer and started drinking.

"Oh, you are still up?"

Laura glanced at the two with a sleepy face as she yawned before walking toward the bathroom.

"Don't drink too much, it's not good to overindulge, we don't know if the others will show up tomorrow."

Reign nodded at Laura before getting up, as did Mia, and the two went to their rooms.

The following day, Reign barely glanced at Mia, he was unable to even speak a word to her as he remembered everything that happened, and so did she.

It was the silence, the unwillingness to even talk about what happened that got on Mia's nerves, and why later, she seemed even a bit hostile to him.

"You know, I understand that you are afraid kid." Aethion's voice echoed in his head as the old man sat down on a chair he conjured with his soul power.

"It's nothing weird, not wanting to have a romantic relationship with a person that fights alongside you."

"It complicates things, it makes you worry even more about the person during battle, it can lead to more stress, to making things difficult in the entire group, and more."

"But, that is only a possibility, after all, this is the world you are now living in, people come and go all the time, dying to the monsters, to other people, it is just how it is."

"If you can't get past this, you might never be able to find a person for you, hell, you might end up like me, an old man who is all alone, working with his undead to become more powerful."

"You might not understand it right now, but you are a Nephilim, even in the leveling realm, you will live much longer than normal people."

"Hell, staying in this realm is almost impossible, I have never heard of a Nephilim that was unable to at least become a Saint, and even those guys died during the battle, thus being unable to reach a higher realm."

"The more powerful you become, the longer you will live."

"Transcendents usually live for hundreds of years, but you, you will live even longer in your current state, and will live for thousands once you reach that realm."

"Trust me when I say this, thousands of years is an awfully long time to be alone for, kid, and that girl is talented and powerful, her chances of reaching the Transcendent realm, and even the Saint realm and higher are not low."

"If you don't at least try, you will regret it, that much I can assure you."

Reign stayed silent and continued staring at the night sky, his mind almost devoid of anything as he closed his eyes and clenched a hand into a fist.

As for Mia, she had already returned to the main building and was in her room, sitting on her bed.

She was staring at her open window, her face devoid of any emotions, but her eyes showing some anger in them while her hands were also clenched, making it clear that she was in a similar state as Reign.

She actually blamed herself for what happened.

It was quite clear that Reign was unwilling to do anything, she was a part of the group, and from what she knew, the only times Reign ever had any type of romantic connection with someone, was with people who didn't want anything serious, people that he wouldn't really see after the fact.

Had she not drunk so much, perhaps nothing would have happened that night.

And yet, she still felt some resentment at Reign for not being even willing to discuss what happened.

She continued staring at the night sky and the moon before glancing to the side as she heard a knock on the door.

She sighed, calmed herself down, and went to the door before opening it, only for her eyes to narrow as she stared at Reign who was standing on the other side of the door.

"Reign, I think we have-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Reign placed his right hand on her cheek and his left hand behind her waist before pulling her in for a kiss.

The two glanced at one another before she pulled him forward, and then closed the door.